APPLICATION OF THE CALSPAN CRASH (CALSPAN RECONSTRUCTION OF ACCIDENT SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY) PROGRAM UNDER EUROPEAN CONDITIONS

Validation test results of the Calspan Reconstruction of Accident Speeds on the Highway (CRASH) computer program are presented for selected European cars in controlled collisions. In the CRASH program technique of evaluating postimpact trajectories, analysis is designed to estimate the velocity of a vehicle at the start of a postimpact trajectory (separation velocity), given details of the trajectory including rotations. Having found the velocity immediately after impact for each vehicle, the program then analyzes the energy absorbed in vehicle damage. Vehicle damage is quantified by contact width, crushing depth, and distance from the midpoint of the contact area to the vehicle's center of mass. In validation tests of the CRASH program, one vehicle series included 31 European cars crashed in frontal collisions at about 50 km/hr; a second vehicle series involved seven cars receiving impact in the side by a mobile barrier at about 35 km/hr. Findings revealed that the program has limited applicability to the road accident situation. In particular, postimpact trajectory analysis may give misleading results for a short linear trajectory involving large rotations because analysis is two-dimensional. Errors also result if one attempts to use trajectory analysis for two vehicles having prolonged contact, such that they are interacting continually during the tire-ground energy dissipation phase. Possibilities for partial application of CRASH are considered, and needs for program development are discussed.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03051315
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper presented at the International Meeting on the Simulation and Reconstruction of Impacts in Collisions, Lyons, France, September 1978.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)

  Wokingham, Berkshire  United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • Staughton, G C
  • Jennings, P W
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 12 p.
• Serial:
  • Supplementary Report
  • Issue Number: 528
  • Publisher: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
  • ISSN: 0305-1315

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer programs; Crash injury research; Crash reconstruction; Crashes; Energy absorption; Frontal crashes; Loss and damage; Postcrash phase; Research; Side crashes; Trajectory; Vehicle trajectories; Velocity
• Old TRIS Terms: Post-crash
• Subject Areas: Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391483
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-028 831
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 30 1984 12:00AM